La asignatura de inglés técnico en el Grado Superior de Enseñanzas Artísticas en la especialidad de Diseño Gráfico. Unidad Didáctica: GEEK! (General Entertainment Elements of Knowledge). Technical English in the High Artistic Degree of Design in the speciality of Graphic Design. Unit of work: GEEK! (General Entertainment Elements of Knowledge) María Fornieles Del Cid Máster de Profesorado de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, Formación Profesional y enseñanzas de idiomas, Universidad de Granada. [email protected] Resumen En el siguiente documento se presenta una Unidad Didáctica en el marco de las Enseñanzas Artísticas Superiores, con la particularidad de combinar la enseñanza del inglés con el desarrollo de las artes visuales, concretamente del Diseño Gráfico. La Unidad Didáctica presentada utiliza como leitmotiv la cultura popular y el diseño gráfico, con la intención de explicar los diferentes elementos y partes de la tipografía y su puesta en contexto en la enseñanza de la lengua inglesa. Palabras Clave enseñanza, unidad, didáctica, diseño, gráfico, arte, tipografía, cine, competencias, metodología, diversidad, friki, helvética, trajana, comic sans Abstract The aim of this paper is to show a Unit of Work integrated on the High Artistic Degree of Graphic Design, which has the particularity of combining English language teaching and the main topics related to Graphic Design. In this case, the leitmotiv of this Unit of Work is Typography and how its different elements and are put in context in the English language teaching. KeyWords unit, work, teaching, graphic, design, degree, art, typography, english, language, geek, methodology, movie, competences, diversity, helvetica, trajan, comic sans 1. Introduction The aim of this thesis is to provide a unit of work for the course of technical English, which belongs to the High Artistic Degree of Design in the specialty of Graphic Design in the Andalusian Autonomic Community. English has become one of the most important tools in communication nowadays for both professionals and students. Cultural aspects aside, having a language that unifies business and college makes mobility much easier and enriches the culture and tradition among countries. It is important to say that the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages has been a useful source, for the three competences proposed in it (linguistic, sociolinguistic and pragmatic) are key points for the development of the unit of work here presented. Reception and production activities will not be created in isolation but in the context of a professional environment, using interaction as a reinforcement for the pragmatic part of the subject. 2. Justification The topic chosen represents a challenge due to the lack of precedents in this specific subject, as the Royal Decree is recent (Decree 111/2014, of 8th of July) and few proposal have been made for this new subject. One of the first huddles to face in teaching English for future graphic designers is given by the level of English that the students may have. According to the 12th article in the before mentioned decree, adults from nineteen years old who do not fulfill the requirements established in the article 57.2 of the Organic Law 2/2006 of the 3rd of May, can access through a maturity access test evaluating the contents in Bachillerato. Apart from this, they may take a specific access test that will evaluate also their maturity, knowledge and attitudes to make the course effectively. Although the new Organic Law, on the improvement of the quality of education, (LOMCE), include modifications to the accesse to different stages of education, it does not modify the test nor the means to access to the before mentioned Degree. All of this can lead to two big issues: 2.1. The language of the tests The construct of the tests is specified in the first and second section of the third chapter of the BOJA of the 30 of April of 2012. With a higher level of concision, the description of the tests is in the Order of 18 of April of 2012, that regulate the access tests to the High Artistic Degree of Design. To be precise, is in the VI annex that the Graphic Design Studies are described. As a summary, there are three different tests: The first one consists in a written theory exercise, in which the applicants have to analyze and criticize a text, a picture or a given graphic element. The second one is an analytic-descriptive exercise in which they are required to represent a given model. The third exercise is a creative one whose starting point is a text. The evaluation of the written exercises will take into account the proper use of the language and composition, and the ability to analyse and relate concepts. Once the situation, evaluation and process have been depicted, it is important now to mention that no where in the Law, Decrees, or orders is mentioned what the language of the test might be. It is logic to think that, as well as the students are able to answer the questions in English (or any other language), the language of the test can be also in English or any other language. 2.2. The base level of English of applicants According to the law, those students who are already in possession of the High Technical Degree in Plastic Arts and Design are allowed to access directly to the High Artistic Degree of Design in the speciality of Graphic Design, with a preference of 20% of the vacancies. As I mentioned before, applicants can access through a maturity access test evaluating the contents in Bachillerato, but none of these contents include the subject of English, but rather a general language knowledge and a test on Spanish History. Apart from this, those students already mentioned have never course a subject of English during this type of degree, as it was not registered by law. As a conclusion, it is possible to infer that the group of Technical English will be a heterogeneous one, made up of different levels that could include from students who have no knowledge of English to experts or bilingual English speakers. On the other hand, and according to the two years experience of these Degrees, graphic design, typography and advertising are disciplines closely related to the use of English, something that happens in other skills, as Italian for decoration or Spanish for cuisine. Students were familiar to some terms and structures and proved to have a basic level of English in relation to written reading skills. 3. Context The teaching-learning experience of this unit of work takes place in a public art school located in Granada. The building is set in a well-known street in the city centre, allowing an heterogeneous group of student to access, from both the city centre and the surroundings. According to social class, the students conform a variety of levels, being all of them adults from 18 years old on. Students may be: - People unemployed - Workers - Recent graduates - Students in another degree The four-story building, originally planned only for teaching, has now a coworking office in it, which helps the students integrate professional life into their everyday life as learners. Well-equiped classrooms, independently from the discipline that is to be taught in it, are one of the main characteristics of the building. There are also open spaces, as the meeting room or the library, in which lessons can be taught in order to change the routine or just simply because the context of those spaces convey better the subject in a given moment. Being placed in the city centre, and the fact that every student there should be of legal age, allow the teachers to do different activities outside the bulding or just teach the lesson with the help of a different, but familiar, scenery. As for the classrooms, long tables are arranged in a parallel way, with four computers on them, aligned and with long spaces between them. This is due to the fact that the same classroom holds all the subjects, so there has to be plenty of space for theoretical and practical classes. The tables cannot be rearranged, but the students can sit on different places in the classroom. 4. Legal Framework Organic Law 8/2013, of 9th December, on the improvement of the quality of education, (LOMCE). L.O.E. 2/2006, where the different stages of education are established. Decree 111/2014, of 8th of July, where the High Artistic Degree of Design are established in Andalusia. BOJA 30/April 2012, in which the access tests to the High Artistic Degrees and the admission of the students to the public schools providing them are regulated. Chapter III, in which it is described how to access High Artistic Degree of Design in the speciality of Graphic Design in the Andalusian Authonomic Community. BOJA 25/April 2013, in which the maturity test is set in relationship with the objectives of Bachillerato in order to acces the High Artistic Degree of Design. 5. Competences As well as in Compulsory Secondary and Primary Education there are objectives, the equivalent in the High Artistic Degrees are the competences. There are three different types of competences; Crosscurricular Competences refer to those that integrate different disciplines. There may not refer to a particular skill but can rather describe situations implying professional enviroments. General Competences define those ones that exist in the different plans of Artistic Degrees, and are valid for all of them. Finally, Specific Compentences are those strictly referring, in this case, to the Graphic Design degree. The Competences for the High Artistic Degrees are the equivalent to what is called objectives in Secondary and Primary Education.